MIAMI – A 16-year-old girl was mauled by a cougar — but survived — when a neighbor saved her from the animal's cage at a northwest Miami home.
A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesman says the girl sustained some significant wounds Saturday and she was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Miami-Dade police say 21-year-old Anthony Zitnick, a friend of the girl, illegally entered the wildlife collector's home with the girl and was later arrested. Inside, the 150-pound male cougar, named Chaos, pounced on the girl and clenched his jaws around her head.
Authorities say neighbor Richard Miralles heard screams and wrestled the animal away. Wildlife officials say the owner of the home has legal permits to keep two cougars and several snakes, tortoises and alligators.
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